It's day sixteen (for me) in the A-Z blog challenge! This month I'll be sharing all about my Christmas/New Year's travels to Canada – providing insight into the places I went, reviewing the hotels I stayed at, and telling my story. Today's letter is U for "up" and I've put together a photo essay of the best views in Montréal from above.

Mount Royal Park

First up, we have Mount Royal Park located on a hill (possibly extinct volcano?) to the west of downtown Montréal that provides stunning views of the city below. During the winter, you will find skiing, snowshoeing, snow tubing, and tobogganing here. Then there are the crazy ones, like me, who despite the biting cold, attempt to capture sunset shots without the proper winter clothes. (Who needs layers?!?) During the summer, I imagine the park is a perfect place for recreation including biking, hiking, or just relaxing with a picnic at the Mount Royal Chalet or lookout. Supposedly in October, you can also find a drum circle here.

To get to Mount Royal Park, you can drive, hike from the city, or take the No. 11 bus from Metro Mont-Royal and Côte-des-Neiges Road up to the summit. There is no cost for entering the park on foot, but you may have to pay for parking or taking the bus to the summit.

Once at the top, the chalet is nothing more than a warm building with a drink machine. If you plan on exploring during the winter, have some Canadian coins with you since you will want a hot drink to warm up with! Trust me – even if it isn't extraordinarily cold in the city, the wind makes the cold ten times worse on top of the "hill". :)

While I haven't been able to track down the park hours, the chalet is open from 8am-8pm during the week and you will want to pay attention to the bus times if you intend on taking the no. 11 back down the mountain. Also, be aware that there is approximately a 15-20 minute walk from the bus stop to the chalet and lookout. If you have small kids and are visiting in the winter, bundle up well! If you decide to visit in the summer… I'm jealous. ;)

1196 Voie Camillien-Houde,

Montréal, QC H3H 1A1

Observatoire 360º

The next day Justin and I ventured over to Observatoire 360". Now, just so you are aware, the day was very overcast and they were expecting blizzard-like conditions in the next 24 hours. We knew this and yet still decided to go up to the top and see. Why not?

One of the first things you should know is that the observatory is located in mall/shopping center. So when you are looking for the address, you are likely to be all kinds of confused. Just know that nearly any entrance to Au Sommet Place Ville Marie should get you there. Once you enter the mall/business center, there are signs everywhere directing you to the places you want to go. And if you don't see a sign, consider stopping to ask someone. There are lots of restaurants and shops in the center, so somebody should be able to help you.

Observatoire 360º is open Monday through Saturday from 10am-6pm and Sunday from 11am-6pm. Tickets cost 19 $ CAD per person and they don't discount for overcast weather. They will, however, warn you before you go up if the view is 50% less than normal, which it was for us on the day we went.

If you decide to visit, you will receive a bracelet allowing you to participate in hands-on activities (great for kids, pointless for adults) that help you get to know the city better. There is also an informational and pictorial exhibit detailing the building of the observation tower.

So, the top floor is for viewing only. One floor below is the exhibit. And then finally, you get to the restaurant and terrace. Justin and I decided to check out the restaurant, because why not? (Have you noticed that we do a lot of "why not?" while we are exploring?) Even though Les Enfants Terribles was a little expensive and very slow, they provided us with some of my favorite poutine that I tried in all of Canada. We had breakfast poutine made up of fries, what tasted like mozzarella melted on top (so not the typical cheese curds), bacon, onions, meat, and a meat sauce. It was divine! We also had a homemade yogurt served with granola and fruit which was a little too sour (not sweet enough) for my taste. And, of course, Justin had to try a local drink.

3 Place Ville Marie,

Montreal, QC H3B 4S6

For me, there were positives and negatives to both experiences at Mount Royal Park and Observatoire 360º.

At Mount Royal Park, I disliked how cold it was. Like I said, I wasn't dressed for the weather, even though I thought I was. The view was absolutely stupendous, though. I would go again in a heartbeat no matter the season!

I also loved exploring Observatoire 360º. Yes, it was pricey, but it also lacked cold, which was nice. And on a beautiful day, I bet the view is absolutely spectacular. Plus, I can't imagine having lived my life without eating breakfast poutine from Les Enfants Terribles. YUM!

If you were planning a trip to Montréal, which view would you go for? Would the time of year make a difference for you? … And have you ever seen poutine that looks as divine as the one above?